Jennifer Nettles is sexy, and she kicks off my Top 25 for 2007.

She's the lead singer of the pop-country duo Sugarland, who just last week won the CMA for best country music group or duo, beating out Brooks & Dunn. They had won it for the past 39 years, it seemed.

While the 34-year-old Georgia native has a gospel and jazz background, she's also a singer-songwriter by trade. According to her bio, she traded in the brooding introspection of her solo work for the lighthearted fun of her duo.

She also traded in her Jewel starter kit for cash. Lots of it. Sugarland is about the second or third hottest thing going in country music right now, behind Carrie Underwood and maybe Taylor Swift. However, there is a positive, feel-good vibe about Sugarland that makes you like 'em and makes you hope they're around for years.

Nettles caught my attention when she scored a giant hit with Bon Jovi on "Who Says You Can't Go Home?," one of my favorites from 2006. There is something about her voice and her vibe that completely attract me to what she's doing.

And, I think it's that super positive vibe that has been the foundation of Sugarland's success. Yes, the song at No. 25 -- "Everyday America" -- is pure pop-country schmaltz. However, it is very well crafted and very simple.

Oh, everybody's dreamin' big

Oh, everybday's just gettin' by

That's how it goes in everyday America

A little town, and a great big life

One of the artists in my year-end countdown ranks among the best storytellers or lyricists of this generation. Compared to his sophisticated writing, this is big-print, remedial stuff. However, when paired with Sugarland's catchy melody and Nettles' personality, it's absolutely one of the best songs of the year.

What's telling about this list, this year, is that in my estimation, about 10 of the songs on my list are only very good while the upper 15 or so are great. So, "Everyday America" must settle for just being very good.

However, there is art in simplicity and making people feel good, and to me, Jennifer Nettles can do no wrong.